Suddenly
by NewsTribe
Summary: Set after HSM3, Troy is off to college on his own and has no idea how his relationship with Gabriella is going to last, but when he meets his new room mate, Troy's life takes a sudden and unexpected turn. Rating may go up. Does contain Slash Troy/Ryan
1. Goodbyes and Hellos

Suddenly

Chapter one – Goodbyes and Hellos

Loading his last bags into the back of his truck, Troy looked over his shoulder at the group of people standing in the doorway, his parents, his best friends, everyone who was important to him, except his girlfriend, the one he loved was already at college, already starting her new live without him.

Walking back to the small group, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and let out a sigh, not wanting to say goodbye, not wanting to accept the fact that his new life was about to begin, without his friends, without Chad, without Gabriella, without the Evan's, without his basketball team.

"All ready?" his mother asked, holding back the tears which were ready to fall from her eyes.

"Yea I guess," he lied, like hell he was ready. He needed his friends with him to make it alright but that wasn't going to happen, everyone was going in their own separate directions, spreading their wings and flying away from the nest and even though they all promised to keep in contact it wasn't the same as seeing them everyday as they have been doing since the start of school.

Mrs Bolton, grabbed her son and pulled him into a tight embrace, placing kisses on his check, "If you change your mind all you have to do is phone me and ill pick you up!" she whispered into his ear, knowing full well that she didn't want her son to drop out of college but like Troy she wasn't ready for him to start his new life.

Pulling away from his mum for half a second, he gave her a grin before he was pulled into a tight embrace by his dad, who just like his mother whispered words of confront and told him it still wasn't to late to change to a different college…a nearer college.

The next person to pull him into a hug was his best friend, Chad. Patting him on the back, Chad pulled away but left his hands on Troy's shoulders.

"You take care of yourself mate, yea?" Chad asked, not one to really show emotions, but even he was finding it hard to say good bye to his best friend without shedding a tear.

"You too mate," Troy replied before he ruffled the other guy's hair and giving him just like his parents, the biggest grin he could muster to prove that everything was ok.

"And we will both be home for winter break, so we can hang then, if not before." Chad added, letting his hands fall from Troy's shoulders.

"Without a doubt" the taller friend replied before turning to the next person. After saying the rest of his goodbyes, Troy climbed into his truck and started up the engine. Taking a deep breath, he put the car into first and set off down the road, sending one final look back at his friends and family before they disappeared into the distance.

Pulling into the only parking space left Troy looked up at the tall white building which he would call home for the next couple of years while he studied Performing arts and Basket ball. Climbing out and locking the door, he made his way across the field until he reached the reception to collect his key for his new dorm. The receptionist was a young girl in her late twenties, with long bleached blonde hair which rested on her shoulders, she had bright blue eyes which would melt any man and make them do anything she wanted. She wore a low cut top and her lipstick and nail vanish matched, this is what he expected Sharpay to be like when she was older. As there hands touched as she passed the key over to him, she gave him a sly smile.

"Dorm 802!" Troy exclaimed as he pocketed his key, "the top floor?"

"Some people had to be up there," the receptionist replied eyeing up Troy with interest and smiling when she released that he was doing the same, "but it shouldn't be any trouble for you, cause you look pretty fit!"

"Yea I'll just take the lift …right?!" he laughed, but realising she wasn't laughing with him; he asked the question he dreaded "There is a lift isn't there!"

"Well of course there is," She grinned with a fake laugh, "It just doesn't work at the moment."

"OH man!" Troy groaned turning away from her.

"By the way Troy, I'm Carmella," She called after him pushing herself up, "Just ask for me if you need anything,"

"Thanks," he smiled twisting his head to face her but carrying on walking out of the office.

After five trips, Troy had finally got all his bags upstairs and into his room. Looking around Troy just hoped that he and his room mate would get on because it wasn't the biggest rooms he had ever seen and he hoped he wouldn't mind sleeping on the bottom buck as he tossed his last bag onto the top buck.

"Home sweet home," Troy muttered to himself as he sat down on the only chair in the room. Pulling his cell phone out from his pocket, Troy checked to see if he had any text messages or missed calls which he had neither, letting out a sign he placed his cell phone on the desk and sat in silence, wondering why none of his friends had contacted him yet, wondering if they had already forgotten about him.

Hearing the door being unlocked, Troy quickly jumped out of his chair and rubbed the creases out of his shirt and jeans as quickly as he could, hoping to make a good first impression. As the door was fully pushed open, Troy looked at his new room mate in utter disbelieve.

"Ryan?"

"Troy?"

So that was the first chapter hope you like it and let me know what you think, Comments are always welcome. Also if anyone is up for being a beta reader for me that would be amazing.


	2. Room mates and new friends

AN: wow I am so pleased that I have chapter two already for you, anyway hope you guys like it and comments are always welcome. On another note I am going to be bringing in a hand full of OCs as it being at College I can't bring back all the cast from the first three films as it wouldn't make sense but they will all appear in at least one chapter.

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Suddenly

Chapter two – Roommates and new friends

"Ryan?"

"Tory!"

Troy couldn't believe it, standing in front of him was no one other then Ryan Evans, sporting one of his trademark hats with a matching baby blue shirt and beige trousers, everything he was wearing screamed Ryan Evans, and if Ryan was honest with himself it made everything going on a bit easier knowing that he wasn't alone, even though he was confused of why Ryan was here.

"What are you doing here?" Troy asked, as Ryan walked further into the room and placed two baby blue bags into the corner of the room and then flashing one of his award winning smiles at Troy.

"I thought you got accepted to…"

"Yea I did, but it really wasn't for me" Ryan explained sitting in the seat which Troy had been sitting in a few moments ago, "After two weeks of induction, I just wanted to scream, so I got my parents to pay for a transfer and this was the only college left which had a place!"

"OH," Troy replied as he sat down on the bottom buck joining his hands together, "How is Kelsi getting on?"

"She loves it, it's everything she wants," the blonde teenager smiled, before they entered a world of silence. Both sitting in their own thoughts and eyeing up their room mate. Even though Ryan knew that Troy was going to be at this College, he really didn't think he would be sharing a room with the Wild Cat king and the boy he had, had a crush on since he first sang on stage, and now he would be living with the Troy Bolton.

"Sharpay's not here is she?" Troy asked suddenly breaking the silence and looking up at Ryan from his hands, noticing for the first time how his hat and shirt brought out his blue eyes and made them look like they were sparking.

"No, my sister isn't here," Ryan said bluntly which made Troy realise that even though she was the ice queen, she was still Ryan's twin sister, but then a small smile started to creep over Ryan's lips, "Thank god,"

"Is that all you brought?" Troy asked casting a look to the two blue bags in the corner of the room, causing Ryan to break out into a fit of laughter.

"God no," he replied, "But the lift is broken and I really can't be bothered to go and down those stairs again"

"Well how about, I give you a hand then we go explore the campus?" Troy offered, pushing himself up from the bottom bunk, "Oh and I've already claimed the top bunk if that's ok with you,"

After four quick trips up and down the stairs the two boys had managed to get all of Ryan's bags into their room, without the help of Carmella who insisted she would of helped if they asked but because they didn't ask she was to busy doing her nails to offer to help. With their small room now full of unpacked bags, the boys left their room and set of to explore their new home.

The two old school friends walked around the campus, talking about school, their prom, their friends, anything and everything that popped into their heads. Ryan explained how he had spent most of his summer holiday at Lava springs with his sister before he set off for college and how Sharpay had thrown him a huge going away party but had forgotten to invite anyone from East High except for Kelsi of course, he then told Troy that his parents had brought him a new sports car but for some reason he had left it at his old college, when Troy questioned him about it, Ryan quickly changed the subject to Gabriella.

"Have you heard from her?" Troy asked as they both sat down on a low wall which surrounded the courtyard in the centre of the campus. Ryan gave the other guy a small shrug before turning away from him.

"I got an email last week, just saying how she is loving College but missing everyone…mostly you Troy," the blonde teenager told the other boy, "and that she is planning to see Taylor in a couple of weeks but that was all,"

"More then what I've heard," Troy replied with a bit of resentment in his voice, before Ryan is able to reply to Troy's comment, a boy around the same age of them storms past, he is of a small built but the tight white T-shirt he is wearing shows off his arm muscles and well defined chest. He has medium length messy light brown hair and dark eyes. A few seconds later a taller guy who was bigger built with well defined muscles which was plan to see as he was wearing a tight fitting black vest and dark jeans which showed off his toned legs came running after.

"What up Alex," He called out, "if it really means that much to you, you can have the top bunk but…" he suddenly broke off when he realises that he was being watched. Turning his attention to Troy and Ryan he gave the two boys a huge smile which made his bright blue eyes shine even more then they already were.

"Hey," he smiled, closing the small gap between him and the two boys sitting on the wall, before he extended his hand to Ryan, "names Nathan!"

"Ryan," the blonde teenage replied standing up and accepting Nathan's hand while his checks turned a sudden shade of crimson.

"Troy," Troy then added, standing up and holding his hand out for Nathan. He was hit with a feeling he had never felt before and he didn't understand it but something shouted out that he shouldn't let Ryan to close to his guy, that he should protect Ryan from him.

"Nice to meet you," he grinned before turning back to Ryan, "So I'm planning a freshman party at my parents place down by the coast, its bout an hour drive from here and your more then welcome to come…Ryan."

"Umm thanks," the blonde replied not being able to say anything else as he found himself getting lost into the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to your friend," Troy spoke up, "he seemed pretty annoyed,"

"He'll get over it," Nathan laughed, "but then again I better make it up to him before he sets his boyfriend on me!"

With that, he pulls a small card from his back pocket and hands it over to Ryan, giving him a small wink and then running after the guy known as Alex. Ryan couldn't help but stare at him as he ran around the corner.

"He seemed nice," Ryan whispered more to himself then Troy, who simply rolled his eyes.

"If you say so," Troy replied grabbing Ryan by the arm "come on lets get some food!"

"Uh huh!" the blonde replied still in a daze.


	3. Lessons and Questions

AN: Thanks for all the kind reviews guys, it really means a lot to me and helps me write new parts. I'm not 100 percent happy with his part as I am introducing a hand full of new characters that will play big parts in this story and I'm not happy with how I brought them into the story. Anyway hope you like the new chapter

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Chapter Three – Lessons and Questions

"And with that note we shall end the lesson, remember guys we will be having our first showcase performance in a week's time and yes before any of you ask, you will be graded on this and yes it will affect your future at this college if you do not meet the standard!" Mr Curtis explained from thee front of the hall, before picking up his sports bag and turning on his heels and walking out. Mr Curtis was a young man no older then his thirties, he was of the slim built and there wasn't one suit he owned which didn't fit him perfectly, he had light brown hair which he spiked in a fashionable way.

After Mr Curtis had left the room, Troy let out a small groan before letting his head hit the table. He knew that college was going to be harder then school but he had no idea it was going to be this bad. He had no idea that in the first week he was going to be worked so hard that every muscle in his body hurt and that was even before Basketball training had started and every night he would climb into bed and as soon as his head hit the pillow he feel into a deep sleep.

"Too much too handle Mr Bolton?" Ryan smirked as he sat himself into the empty chair next to Troy and letting his books drop onto the table. Troy lifted his head up slightly so that he was able to see Ryan, who seemed unaffected by the sudden change in the amount of work they had to do, Ryan unlike himself was taking everything in his stride.

"I don't understand how you can be smiling Ryan, we have two group dances to perfect , a group song, a solo dance and a acting piece all in time for next weeks show case and I still have no idea what I'm going to sing and the first basketball game of the year is taking place next week as well!"

"No one said performing arts was easy," Ryan smiled as he pushed himself up, "Come on we can go through my IPod and find a song for you to sing,"

"Thanks," Troy smiled back as he followed suit, "What are you singing Ry?"

"Ah that would be telling," he smirked as he made for the exit.

If anyone told him last year that in a years time he would be at college doing performing arts, room mates with Ryan and becoming good friends with Ryan Evan's he would of laughed and told them to shut up, but now lying on Ryan's bunk with the male half of the Evan's twins lying next to him, flicking through his IPod finding the perfect song to sing, Troy couldn't think of anything he would be rather doing on a weekday night. In school Ryan only seemed interested in Musial music but while skimming through his IPod, Troy realised for the first time, that just like himself, Ryan liked a wide range of music.

Pulling the earphone from his ear, Ryan placed his hands behind his head and let out a small yawn.

"Tired?" Troy asked, pausing the song that they were listening to, it wasn't a song he would normally listen to but it was upbeat and it did have a catchy tune. He then let the earphone drop onto his chest and tilted his head slightly so that he was looking at Ryan.

"A bit," Ryan replied in a small voice. The two boys laid in silence just enjoying each others company. Troy couldn't believe how relaxed he felt lying next to Ryan in silence and how comfortable.

"Ryan?" Troy spoke up, his voice no more then a whisper, "Ryan?" he whispered again but not getting any reply, Troy leaned closer to find that Ryan had slipped into a silent sleep. It was something Troy was thankful for that Ryan didn't snore, unlike Chad and Jason. Troy couldn't help but notice, being so close to Ryan, how perfect his face was and how innocent and young he looked. With pale pink lips slightly apart, Troy wanted nothing more then to run one of his fingers against the soft skin, reaching out Troy quickly pulled away, his breathing increased.

"What the hell!" he muttered to himself, as he pushed himself of the bottom bunk and crossed the room to the sink. Staring at his reflection, Troy couldn't work out where the sudden need to touch Ryan came from. Shaking his head, Troy ran the could tap for a couple of seconds and splashed the cold water against his own face before turning back to the bunk beds. Walking back to the bed, he removed Ryan's IPod and placed it on the desk. He then gently pulled the covers over Ryan's dressed body. Climbing into his own bed, Troy stared up at the ceiling not able to get the image of Ryan's lips out of his mind.

Pulling up outside Nathan's parents beach house the following night, Troy and Ryan found that the fresher's party was already in full swing. Walking through the double doors, they scanned the room to find any one they recognised through the mass of students who were dancing in the large living room area.

"Troy! Ryan! Over here" A loud voice called from the bar area. Standing at the bar were three of their newest friends, who like them all took performing arts. The first was Alex, Nathan's room mate. He was a quiet young man who found it easier to express his feelings through dance and as much as it pained Ryan admitting it, he was the best dancing in their course. Alex had moved from Britain three years ago when his parents split up and he chose to live with his mum. The second was Tucker, Alex's loud and self obsessed boyfriend. He was taller then Alex and where Alex was pale and blonde, Tucker was very much tanned and had short black hair and dark eyes. He was a very confidant man who prided himself in his looks and the attraction he got from both guys and girls. From the moment he met Troy and Ryan the three had hit it off well.

The third was the stunning Britney, she hand long curled blonde hair and was wearing a short tight pink dress which hanged of her body perfectly. On their first lesson, Britney explained how she was head Cheerleader at her school and was determined to become a top Broadway star and nothing would get in her way.

As Troy and Ryan made their way across the room to their friends, a soft hand landed on Ryan's shoulder which caused him to turn around.

"Hey Nathan," Ryan smiled, feeling his cheeks going bright red, which they did every time he found himself face to face with Nathan.

"Looking good Ryan," Nathan smiled back, his voice soft as velvet, "Fancy a drink?" with a nod of his head Ryan set of towards the bar but find that Nathan hadn't moved removed his hand from his shoulder or wasn't coming after him either.

"We could always go to the bar in my old room," Nathan mutter, leading Ryan towards the staircase.

"They make a cute couple," Britney smiled as she watched Nathan led Ryan off.

"Ryan this, Ryan that, Ryan is all Nathan has been talking about…no wonder I get no sleep," Alex laughed, resting his head on Tucker's shoulder.

"Ryan?" Troy laughed, "Ryan's not interested in Nathan? Ryan isn't gay!"

"Ryan isn't gay?" Tucker replied trying to hold back his own laughter, "If Ryan isn't gay then I dunno what the hell I am then?"

As the party carried on through the night, Troy tossed the idea of Ryan being gay through his head, sure he was musically obsessed and sure he had an amazing dress sense but it had never entered his mind that Ryan could be gay. Pulling Britney to the side, he slipped some money into her hand causing her to raise an eyebrow.

"I'm going to shoot off, but can't find Ryan, so when you see him can you give him the money and tell him to catch a cab back or crash at yours or whatever…" Troy explained

"Yea cause I can," Britney replied, "Are you ok Troy? You don't seem yourself?"

"Just got a lot on my mind," Troy answered back as he slipped his jacket on.

Slamming the dorm room shut, Troy threw his coat onto the floor and let his body drop onto Ryan's bed, letting out a loud sigh, he ran his hands over his face only to hear the dorm room door being thrown open and feeling a shadow standing above him.

"What's your problem Troy?" Ryan demanded, losing his temper for the wild cat for the first time in his life.

"Nothing, nothing is wrong Ryan, just leave it?" Troy replied looking up at his friend for the first time.

"What like you left me at the party?" Ryan snapped, realising he sounded like his sister.

"You were having fun with Nathan, so I left you to it?" Troy snapped back, sitting up.

"What do you…"

"Are you gay Ryan?" Troy cut in, not meaning to sound so blunt about the whole thing.

"What?" Ryan replied in a smaller voice.

"Are you gay?" Troy repeated.


	4. Fallouts and Come outs

Hey guys, sorry it's taken me so long to write the new part but anyway here it is and I hope you like it, you can expect the next part to come out soon as well :D

Fallouts and Come outs

Ryan had never denied to anyone in his life that he was gay, it wasn't something he hid but it also wasn't something he told everyone the moment they met him because he was gay it didn't mean he had to announce his sexuality, no one expected his sister to announce she was straight so Ryan never understood why he had to confirm the fact that he was gay. Back at school only a few of his closest friends knew the fact that he was gay but they hadn't asked him, they just knew and in the last year he did come out to them and it did make him feel better and it also made their friendships stronger.

Sitting on the park bench on his own, Ryan slowly let his legs swing backwards and forwards, his IPod and phone sat next to him neither one showing any sign of life. He had avoided Troy's question, he simply picked up the two most important things he owned and left the room, leaving Troy to his own thoughts. Ryan let his own hands curl into fists as he thought back on the way Troy spoke to him and it upset him, it made him want to scream out, made him want to throw his fists against a brick wall until his knuckles bled anything to take away the hurt that Troy was making him feel now. Out of all the guys back at East High he always believed that Troy would be the most understandable one and not judge people like Chad but maybe he was wrong, maybe he had misjudged Troy.

Feeling someone sit next to him, Ryan's heart skipped a beat hoping for that one tiny second that when he looked up he would be looking up at Troy who had come to say sorry and to make everything right between them again but it wasn't the sight he was greeted to when he looked up, not that the person sat next to him didn't make his heat skip a beat either.

"Nathan?" Ryan asked in a confused tone, wondering why the older teen wasn't still at his own house party with the rest of the students.

"I went to your dorm to talk to you and Troy told me you had gone for some fresh air and that I would properly find you around the park as it's where you always want to go when you're bored according to Troy," Nathan explained without taking a breather. Ryan couldn't help but smile feeling all the stress about Troy melt away as he breathed in the sweet scent of Nathan's aftershave.

"Thanks for coming to find me," Ryan replied in a small voice finding himself taking in deep breathes so that he could remember the smell of Nathan long after he had gone, "but what did you want to talk about!"

"Well you left the party so fast earlier that I didn't have a change to do this…" with that Nathan cupped Ryan's chin and turned the blonde teenager towards him while closing the gap between them and finally their lips meet in a lopsided kiss and Ryan didn't want to stop kissing him, he didn't want Nathan to pull away and Nathan didn't and the two boys just sat on the park bench kissing each other not caring who was around them and who would see.

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Ryan unlocked the door to his room and pulled Nathan's hoody tighter around his slim body as he stepped into the dark room. As he made his away across the room he was being as quiet as he could believing that Troy was fast asleep as it had gone two in the morning but when the light was suddenly turned on Ryan found Troy sat up in his bed with a face like thunder.

"Nice of you to come back Ryan," Troy spoke up his voice croaky where he had just woken up from a half attempt of a sleep.

"Sorry Troy didn't mean to wake you up," Ryan replied his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh what ever Ryan, if I realised asking one simple question could turn you into a even bigger drama queen, I wouldn't of bothered asking, I just thought seeing as we are meant to be mates we could be honest with each other,"

"Honest?" Ryan laughed rolling the sleeves of the hoody up, "You are the last person to talk about being honest, you lied to your friends and parents for how long about singing now?"

"This has got nothing to do about singing and dancing this is about knowing if I have to watch myself when I get changed in the morning!" Troy snapped back, in no mood to play nice with the younger blonde.

"Screw you Bolton, and for your information I am gay, what of it? And two there would be no way in hell that I would be interested in you, your too self obsessed"

"And the hoody?" Troy asked raising his eyebrow

"Is none of your business" Ryan spat, feeling tears swell up in his eyes, "God Troy I thought you was different I didn't think you would care if I was gay or not but I guess I was wrong about you."

Ryan flicked the light back off before he quickly changed and climbed into bed pulling the hoody in with him, taking in another big breathe of the smell of the material.

"Ryan?" Troy whispered in a soft voice but Ryan didn't reply he simply laid in his bed looking into the darkness allowing tears to roll from his eyes. "Ryan?"

"Look Ryan I'm sorry," Troy whispered in a small voice, "I didn't mean to snap at you earlier and it doesn't bother me that your gay, it really doesn't mate I swear, I just wish you trusted me enough to tell me that's all! You're still one of my closest friends Ryan and I hope you can forgive me for being such a jerk!"

"I'll think about it," Ryan replied with a smile before sleep took over and he feel into a deep slumber.


End file.
